Budgeting Priorities
by Raizelinplaid
Summary: So, where did that idea to use Francine's wardrobe budget for Amanda's raise come from in the tag of Murder Between Friends? Well, "what if.." we threw in this scene to fill-in that burning question.
1. Chapter 1 Where is Amanda?

**Budgeting Priorities**  
**By RaizelinPlaid**

**Disclaimer: **None of these characters belong to me. They belong to Shoot the Moon Enterprises and Warner Bros to who I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to keep their adventurous lives going and to the wonderful actors who created them. This is for entertainment purposes only. No infringement was intended.

**Summary:** So, where did that idea to use Francine's wardrobe budget for Amanda's raise come from in the tag of Murder Between Friends? Well, "what if.." we threw in this scene to fill-in that burning question.

**A/N:** Thanks first goes out to Elizabeth Bowker who has inspired me to write again even though I said I was not planning on doing any writing. This one just kind of burst out from our fists of laughter at the image we shared talking about our mutual love of Scarecrow and Mrs. King.

Thanks also goes out to Clagjanet for another extraordinary beta job. You see things I never would have. See what happens when you get me started? Thanks for always being there on the other side of that computer just when I need you.

Finally, any grammatical, spelling, punctuation, and errors in canon are solely mine.

**Chapter 1: Where's Amanda when you need her?**

"Scarecrow!" The all-too-familiar bellow could be heard echoing through the bullpen. Lee's head snapped up from the report he had been trying to write for the last hour. Pages of empty boxes to fill in and all he had managed to write was two words at the top - Byron Jordan.

'I could really use Amanda right now,' Lee thought dejectedly. He shook his head as he stalked over to Billy's office carrying the unfinished report. 'This would have been typed up and submitted already,' he continued to lament to himself.

He hadn't been able to focus on the Bryon Jordon report, his mind entirely on Amanda and her current predicament. 'All she wanted to do was be able to afford a Wizard Whopper for her boys.' It surprised him that he could remember the name of the toy, but when he wanted to explain how Amanda had disarmed that security system for the report, he couldn't remember the order of the buttons she had pressed. He just blanked. Yet, despite a murder charge hanging over her head and being without a job, Amanda was able to calmly help disarm the system to allow them entrance to the house.

He had never felt so helpless as when Amanda had walked into the bullpen to tell them that she was resigning from the Agency to take the security job at double her current salary. He really admired her for asking for that raise. She, above all people, deserved it. Now, she was not only out of a job, but she was still sitting in the debriefing room giving her statement instead of at home with her family. The one thing he knew he could at least try to do for her was to get her job back at the Agency. 'Hell, I am the one who got her into this in the first place,' he thought determinedly. Taking one last look at the empty boxes on the report in his hand, he walked through Billy's open office door closing it slowly behind him anticipating what Billy wanted and resigning himself to the battle ahead.


	2. Chapter 2 On the Same Page

**Chapter 2: On the same page**

"Where's the report?" Billy asked without looking up from the file open in his hands.

"The thing is…" Lee started nervously.

Closing the file and placing it at the bottom of the stack of budget reports, Billy leaned back in his black leather desk chair. Steepling his figures together, he waited patiently for Lee to continue. Lee was pacing back and forth in front of Billy's desk, obviously searching for the right words.

Billy knew that look all too well. Lee was going to make some demand, and from his years of experience and knowing Lee, he knew exactly what that request was going to be.

"Ah, look, Billy, I haven't finished the report yet. I could really use…" Lee was stopped in his tracks as Billy raised a hand to silence him.

"Amanda?" Billy asked, finishing his thought and trying to hide the smile that wanted to spread across his face.

"Well, yeah. Look, she has no job now, and I was the one who got her into this business in the first place. I think we at least owe it to her to give her her old job back."

"She left of her own free will. And the Agency has to make budget cuts somewhere." Billy lifted his hands off the expense reports waiting to be signed in front of him. "You can write your own reports and run your own copies from now on. Besides, I thought you didn't like working with partners _**or**_ have you changed your mind?" he challenged Lee.

Lee leaned in, resting both his hands on top of the expense reports on Billy's desk, and blurted out the first thing that came into his head. "I need her." Seeing Billy's raised eyebrows, Lee straightened up and began to backtrack, trying to sound professional. "What I mean is that she has become a valuable asset to the Agency in the work that she does." He then began enumerating on his fingers, "She is efficient, thoughtful, detailed, observant, calm under pressure, and logical. She is right more often than not. Billy, she is worth every penny," Lee concluded.

"I am glad you see it that way, Scarecrow. Because so do I." Billy now pulled out the folder he had placed at the bottom of the pile of expense reports. He ceremoniously handed it over to Lee.

"What's this?"

"Read it," Billy commanded.

Lee opened the folder, glanced down and began chuckling loudly, "You've already reinstated Amanda?" He looked up incredulously. "This is her job offer letter?" He felt the relief flood through him before another thought quickly occurred to him. "But what about a raise?"

"Lee, this is the best we can do for her for now. Unless you have another idea."

"What if I took a pay cut?" Lee said without hesitation.

Surprise flew across Billy's face. Quickly composing himself, he asked, "But what about your nightclubs, fancy candlelight dinners, expensive bottles of wine, and tailored suits?"

Without realizing what he was revealing to Billy, Lee coldly stated, "I have no family to support. She does."


	3. Chapter 3 Frosting on the Cake

**Chapter 3: Frosting on the Cake**

Francine rapped on the door to the office. Both heads turned in unison to the sound. "Come," Billy barked.

Francine flounced in with her completed report on the Byron Jordan case and President Nabuti's successful mission. Coming to stand next to Lee in front of Billy's desk, she handed the folder she was carrying over to Billy like a good student.

"Well, well. Look who got called to the principal's office. Didn't finish your report again, Scarecrow?" Francine stated smugly eyeballing the unfinished report in Lee's hand.

Undaunted by the daggers Lee's eyes were now throwing at her, she continued to taunt him mercilessly. "So Billy, how many demerit points did you say Lee would get again for turning his reports in late?"

Rising to Francine's obvious bait, Lee looked at Billy asking seriously, "And how many points did you say again that you took off for neatness, spelling, grammar, and punctuation?"

Continuing the banter, Francine quipped back, "Well, I guess with Amanda gone, you don't have anyone you can sweet talk into writing it for you, do you? Think you might actually have that thing done by the end of school today?"

"You know Francine, didn't I just see Beaman skulking around your desk again sharpening your pencils because you broke a nail trying to do it yourself?" Lee fired back.

Billy watched with amusement as the star pupil flaunted her good work ethic, and the class clown practiced his show. Finally, he asked, "Are you two through yet or do I need you to hold you both in here for detention?"

"Well, in that case, since I filed my expense reports _**on time**_," Francine stated getting one more barb in, "I now have time to replace that dress I ruined thanks to Lee," Francine haughtily announced.

Confused, Lee asked, "What did I do?"

"You just had to go and throw Tucker over that railing into the dessert table, and I was the one stuck having to handcuff him," Francine whined pointing to herself. "Do you realize how hard it is getting buttercream frosting stains out of pure silk? And it was a waste of good chocolate too!" Francine said huffily, facing Lee with her hands on her hips.

A bemused look passed between Billy and Lee.

"Since I've turned all my classwork in on time and my reward for all my good effort is in the bank, I am off to buy that Chesley gown I've had my eye for weeks. $1000 and worth every penny. Perfect for the Sikkim Ambassador's gala," she announced giving her parting shot over her shoulder as she pulled open the door to leave. Billy and Lee noted the huge Cheshire cat smile that spread across her face.

As Billy and Lee turned back to face each other simultaneously, a light bulb turned on. Billy exclaimed out, "The wardrobe budget!" as Lee blurted out, "Amanda's raise!"

"I'll get the paperwork started. Let Amanda know I want to see her as soon as she's done giving her final statement," Billy directed Lee.

As Lee turned to go, it suddenly dawned on him to ask, "You know, Billy, Francine _**is **_going to want an explanation of what happened to her wardrobe budget. What you are going to tell her?"

Thinking it quite obvious, Billy raised both his hands and simply stated, "Budgetary priorities, of course."

"Yes, sir," Lee said giving Billy a little mock salute before turning to leave.

Billy's deep belly laugh followed Lee out of the door making heads turn in the bullpen.


	4. Chapter 4 Bolt of Lightning

**Chapter 4: Bolt of Lightning**

Lee quickly made his way to the debriefing room to try and catch Amanda before she left. A smile spread across his face deepening his dimples at the thought of sharing the news with her. Several women from the steno pool stared after him longingly wondering what had put the elusive Scarecrow in such a good mood as they passed him in the hall.

Entering the room, Lee saw through the two-way mirror that she was still being debriefed. 'Why is this taking so long?' he wondered as a wave of disappointment washed over him. He realized just how much he had been looking forward to telling Amanda about where her raise was going to come from. Now, he resigned himself to having to wait to hear her laugh and see her chocolate brown eyes sparkle with the joy as he shared that private joke with her.

"Agent Stetson, Mrs. King is still being questioned by Agent Jefferies. Do you need something?" asked Ernie the cameraman who had been shanghaied from his cartoons to monitor the recording equipment.

Lee was embarrassed being caught off guard lost in his thoughts about Amanda. Quickly he answered, "Ah, no. I just came to see if she was done yet. Billy wants to see her up in the bullpen when she is finished. If you could just relay the message for me that would be great." Lee continued starring absently at the woman gesturing animatedly on the other side of the glass.

"Well, tell Mr. Melrose she is going to be awhile," Ernie motioned toward the glass. "Whenever Agent Jefferies asks her a question, she seems to go into this long-winded explanation. At this rate, I am going to run out of tape before she finishes."

Chuckling lightly, Lee nodded his head knowingly, "Just tell her, okay?"

Lee slowly made his way back to the bullpen. Grinning to himself, he thought, 'Well, I should've known why it was taking so long for that debrief in the first place.' Continuing down the hall, he shook his head recalling all the times Amanda had tried to explain something to him. Even just trying to explain to him what a Wizard Whopper was had kept her going for what seemed like hours.

Pressing the button for the elevator, it hit him like a bolt of lightning. Reluctantly he acknowledged to himself, 'I sure missed having her around.'


End file.
